Early-season games typically have a playoff vibe because they’re fierce contests between elite teams, though they can still be a little exaggerated. However, it was reasonable to say that Tuesday night’s Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings game felt like a postseason match. The game in November between two up-and-coming rivals meant much more than just deciding who would go to the first-ever NBA in-season tournament after the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in the day.

The rules were very clear: the Warriors would move on to the knockout stage if they won by 12 points or more. Sacramento would advance if the Kings prevailed or lost by a score of 11 or less.

Given their close proximity, their previous playoff series, their opposing roles as an aging dynasty versus up-and-comers, and the rivalry between Draymond Green and Domantas Sabonis, there is already an extra sense of intensity when these two teams play. However, this gave it something more.

Golden State was up to the challenge right away. Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson were both playing the kind of basketball we have been hoping to see for a while, and Steph Curry was playing at his best. Green and Kevon Looney made things difficult for Sabonis, and the Dubs swiftly found themselves up 30–18—having the precise margin of victory required to progress—after a barrage of three-pointers.

After Sacramento responded with a 10-run, the Warriors countered with three free throws from Thompson with 19 seconds left. Gary Payton II then swiped the next possession and made a circus floater at the buzzer to give the Dubs a 37-29 lead.

They extended that into a second-quarter 12-0 run, but it came at a price: Cory Joseph started the period on the court as Chris Paul returned to the locker room. The Dubs would ultimately start turning the ball over with alarming regularity without one of the greatest ball-controllers in league history, thus his absence would be felt. He wouldn’t return because of pain in his lower left thigh.

but not before making a click. In the second quarter, Wiggins entered 2022 mode and began playing with incredible intensity, which resulted in fantastic ball movement. The Warriors extended their advantage to 24 points in what was maybe their most beautiful basketball of the season. Despite some careless play towards the end of the quarter, they were still up 72-55 at the half. Everything appeared to be going well. They needed a tiny cushion to win the tournament, but they needed a large cushion to defeat the Kings three times in a row.

But Sacramento was not about to lose in front of its supporters without a fight. When they returned in the third quarter, the Kings continued to respond to the Warriors’ responses while the Warriors continued to respond. The Dubs forced Sacramento back to 16 points after they had toyed with single digits. Once more, Wiggins attacked nonstop, occasionally carrying the team on his back in what was arguably his greatest outing of the year.

However, the turnovers and the defense were collapsing, and the Kings were relying heavily on the free throw line. When Payton also exited the game with an injury, hobbling off the floor while clutching the back of his leg, danger escalated into pure evil. Taking advantage of the momentum, the Kings reduced the Dubs’ lead to nine points at the start of the fourth quarter. All of a sudden, the Warriors were in risk of losing both the lead and the in-season tournament progression.

I’m sure you can guess how this story finishes.

The fourth quarter was when things really changed, whether it was because the Kings found a gear that the Warriors couldn’t reach, ran out of gas, or were demoralized by their injuries. The tide completely reversed when the Dubs controlled the hustle plays in the first half, with Mike Brown informing the broadcast team that Golden State had won all seven 50-50 balls. All of a sudden, the Kings were winning every loose ball, sustaining every possession, and pressuring Golden State into making poor decisions. They went tough, and the Dubs just refused to match the ferocity—aided in part by the referees swallowing the whistle when Curry had the ball. Unsurprisingly, the Warriors were crumbling, leading to a really pathetic technical foul call by Green.

With his smooth jump shot, Sasha Vezenkov—who didn’t even play in the first half—began to dominate, and only Moses Moody’s 11 points in the fourth quarter prevented the situation from getting out of control.

De’Aaron Fox gave Sacramento the lead with 5:46 left, but finally they overcame and took the lead—their first since early in the first quarter. However, the Dubs were not going to give up so easy. Curry carried the team on his back after seeing Wiggins and Moody follow suit, and Golden State swept ahead. Less than two minutes remained when Looney grabbed an offensive rebound, putting the Dubs ahead five points, and was fouled. All of a sudden, there was hope for reaching the knockout stage.

Looney missed both free throws, ending any chance of progress, and the sides began trading baskets. It was all about figuring out how to win now.

Then everything was taken to the bathroom. After Malik Monk sank a two-for-one three to get Sacramento to within one, Draymond mishandled the ball on the opposite end. Sacramento now had a chance to go ahead. They inbounded the ball and got it to Monk while Wiggins harassed him with outstanding defense after being pushed into a timeout. Monk was pushed to make a ridiculous shot by Wiggins, and you guessed it. He succeeded.

Curry’s hands went to butter as he hurried the ball up the floor with Golden State out of timeouts. By his generous standards, he got off a shot, but it was not a good one at all.

A 24-point advantage had somehow devolved into yet another almost unfathomable defeat.

The Dubs will play again against the LA Clippers on Thursday even though they have been eliminated from the first in-season competition. Both Wiggins and Curry finished with 29 points apiece; the latter had nine rebounds while the former had ten. Thompson finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, registering a double-double.